I'm not a fan of buying a short term liability (no cash flowing property) in hopes of long term gain through appreciation. 

IDEALLY, we would like to find a property that has or is capable of being converted into a “mother in law”, “ADU”, “Casita”, or any other separate living quarters in which we could rent out the main portion to a tenant (short term or long term) and then use the separate space as our own for when we come and go with business.

I don’t worry about the electric because I use that for short term rentals.

I’ve found success by focusing on emerging neighborhoods, avoiding flood-prone areas, and exploring short- or mid-term rentals to tap into the steady stream of tourists and business travelers.Good luck!

IMHOThere are more international students staying, I've seen it where I work (at a university), but many of the newcomers are not students and a country our size can't handle that many people in a relatively short period of time. 

So the short answer is...Yes, he can still take you to court, but his first recourse will likely be to place a lien on your property.

Rates will be a little higher (5%/6% range) but the cool thing is that you can often find these on 30 year fixed terms unlike the short term balloons the local bank would offer. 

The short answer: YES, you usually need to send 1099s if you're a landlord, regardless of the number of units.The confusion comes from the fuzzy definitions of "running a trade or business."

I bet short term rentals can work right in your own backyard!

You will find people who make money in REI through many different strategies: buy and hold, flipping, BRRR, house hacking, short term rentals, rental arbitrage, etc.